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When Did You Buy Your First Airplane?


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Quote: N601RX

 I'm a EE also.  Unfortuantely there are many engineering professors that have never done anything but attend school for 10 years to get a PHD and then the only thing they are qualified to do is teach. They will spend an entire semester teaching very difficult math equations that are done by computer software in the real world. Unfortunately many of the students never make the connection between a bunch of math problems and how things really work.

A while back I asked one of our engineering Coop students to hand me the adjustable wrench.  He handed me a pair of pliars!

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Sailing and airplanes.  I find quite a bit of cross-over between the two - pilots who sail, sailors who fly.  My Marina; Grand Marina in Alameda, CA has a number of commercial (airline) pilots who live aboard their sailboats, and many more GA pilots who enjoy sailing on weekends. Quite a bit of navigational similarity, but much slower and just a two dimensional problem. I've been sailing since the early 1950s,(a bit before learning to fly) and owned both sailboats and trawlers.  I still actively sail my 38 year old Islander 30, which I bought in 1974. and she looks and sails as new.  Just like aircraft, if one maintains them properly, they will last for many decades. 

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1st airplane was purchased when I was 25: 1965 M20C - my father nicknamed it "the ring" because i had a choice between getting engaged/married and buying an airplane and I you can see what choice I made 


2nd airplane is my current M20J at 28 - used for business and also a key element to establishing/maintaining a relationship with my now wife that lived in Albany, Ny when I lived in Philly - she loves to fly and is a keeper.. :)


Trying to get into my 3rd airplane now - M20R Ovation at 34


 

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1st airplane was purchased when I was 25: 1965 M20C - my father nicknamed it "the ring" because i had a choice between getting engaged/married and buying an airplane and I you can see what choice I made 


2nd airplane is my current M20J at 28 - used for business and also a key element to establishing/maintaining a relationship with my now wife that lived in Albany, Ny when I lived in Philly - she loves to fly and is a keeper.. :)


Trying to get into my 3rd airplane now - M20R Ovation at 34


 

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Quote: JimR

We belong to a well-established yacht club that is located just a few blocks from our house. By aviation standards it is a vibrant place with lots of history and activities. We primarily use it for the pool in the summer and occasionally the restaurant and bar, although my children are working their way up the sailing ranks through the lessons that are offered there. One day I hope to avail myself of all that the club has to offer, but for now there is only time and money enough for one obsession. I do often envy the convenience of the place, as I have to drive over an hour to get to my plane and the yacht club is in my backyard. My life would be a lot simpler if my heart was in the sea and not the sky, as is the case for most of my friends and neighbors. 

Jim

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Fascinating how many were/are interested in both sailing and flying. I was bitten by the sailing bug 10-12 years ago. Partly due to time spent in the Caribbean; partly because my wife had 'forbidden' GA flying.  I did some sailing in Florida; researched this, that and the other, including ownership vs. rental fleet ownership, etc; got close to shopping for The Boat, until I reminded myself of one, basic obstacle:


I don't like being cold and wet in the wind.


Which, pretty much scratched the whole sailboat thing.


I now have a much better wife, and a pretty darned good plane.  Excellent trade!

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I purchased my first airplane at the age of 23.  It was a 1959 Cessna 175 [geared GO-300 Continental engine], N7657M.  Great airplane!


I purchased this plane just after I soloed in a C152.  I borrowed another instructor to go with me when I picked up the C175, as my instructor was out of town for a few weeks.   Upon his return, he was furious that I'd bought a "big" airplane when I hadn't even finished my training.


I knew all was well because the reason for my flying lessons was to own an airplane.  I continued all my manueuver training with the 152 and then used the 175 for cross country stuff.  Not that it was a major factor for me, but there was a bit of savings as I did not need to rent the 152 for the x country flights. 


Sold the 175 a few years later for economic reasons.  I did not fly again until 1982.  Reason:  Silly me.  I convinced myself if I could not have my own plane, I wasn't going to fly.  Hmmm, what was I thinking!!  In 1982, my brain began to function again and I started renting a 172, 182 and a 210..............yippee!


1987 I was once again in a position to own an airplane.  Childhood Mooney memories prevailed, so I searched for and found my Mooney at Screaming Eagle Aviation in Santa Paula, CA.  I purchased the plane having never flown or ridden in a Mooney.  I knew it was right for me.  I kept my 1967 M20F, N9505M for almost 20 years.  Loved that airplane!  Geared it up the year after I bought it due to linkage failure...............the most painful sound you'll ever hear.............your airplane scraping along the asphalt..........stopped really fast though!


Now, I am the more that proud owner [well, me and the corporation] of N211MJ...................for me, it's just a complete WOW!!


Happy Mooney flying everyone and keep a positive outlook for GA! SmileCoolTongue outLaughing

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First solo: 1968.


First airplane:  1997.....49 years old, I bought my C.


By this time, I had 20,000 hrs, all of it in someone else's airplane...I joke that the first flight in MY OWN AIRPLANE was the most terrified I'd ever been in flight, but there is some truth to it.  Every other airplane had included ground school and a thorough checkout.  When I took delivery of my Mooney....I looked over the POH!


Aircraft ownership is not so much about "EXTRA MONEY" (I dont think such exists!)....it's about priorities.  I live in a fly-in community where most of us make very basic incomes, but flying is a priority.  We can do it; most people can, if aviating is a priority, or do I mean an adiction?


 


 

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Aircraft ownership is not so much about "EXTRA MONEY" (I dont think such exists!)....it's about priorities.  I live in a fly-in community where most of us make very basic incomes, but flying is a priority.  We can do it; most people can, if aviating is a priority, or do I mean an adiction?


Agree!

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